14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft and LG, the fourth largest mobile phone manufacturer seem to have formed a partnership and it looks like soon we will be seeing some new Windows Mobile powered smartphones released from the Korean company.
The handsets will include the touch screen technology rather than buttons, which is quite the smart thing to do with the touch screen equipped phones becoming so popular nowadays. The first handsets from the Korean company will hit the market around the second half of this year.
Windows is currently collaborating with Motorola and Samsung, and after this recent partnership with LG, three of the top five handset makers will be selling Windows Mobile phones. Since September 2005 when Palm decided to use Windows Mobile for its popular Treo devices, Microsoft's operating system became more popular among handset makers.
Devices from several manufacturers were launched running Windows Mobile, including Motorola Q, HTC handsets or Samsung's Blackjack. In fact, according to a study, mobile operators worldwide sold more Windows Mobile powered phones than Blackberry did. This is quite a change for Microsoft that stumbled for years on the mobile market.
Woo-young Kwak, LG's vice-president and head of mobile communications research and development, says the "collaboration with Microsoft will enhance LG's stance in the growing smartphone market."
Microsoft and LG are expected to announce this new partnership at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, on the 12th of February. This is the same day when Microsoft will unveil their new Windows Mobile 6 operating system that includes improved collaboration software and better security. The first Windows Mobile 6-powered devices will apparently show up by the second quarter of 2007.